09/06/2017

PRESS RELEASE

Appointment of the new Vice-President of the CPVO

Following an open competition, the Council of the EUdecided on 6 June 2017, on the basis of a proposal from the European Commission drawn up after obtaining the opinion of the Administration Council of the CPVO, to appoint Mr. Francesco MATTINA,as Vice-President of the CPVO for a period of five years. His term will start on a date that must be agreed upon between the Presidentand the Administrative Council of the CPVO.

Francesco Mattina, of Italian nationality, is currently the Head of the Legal Unit of the CPVO.Before taking up his post at the CPVO in September 2013, Francesco Mattina worked as a lawyer for the EUIPO (the
European Union Intellectual Property Office, another IP European Agency). He has a law degree and a Master degree in European Union Law and Intellectual Property Law. Before joining the public sector, Francesco Mattina has managed contentious disputes in all major areas of intellectual property.

In his current position as Head of the Legal Unit of the CPVO, Francesco Mattina provides legal advice to the President in relation to the Community plant variety rights systemand as regards any other legal matters such as staff regulations, financial regulation, procurement, access to documents, and data protection. He also defends the CPVO’s position before the Board of Appeal and the EU Court of Justice. He has acquired a broad knowledge of intellectual property rights in general and more specifically on plant varieties during his past and current positions.

“Francesco has the appropriate skills and professional experience to manage the CPVO and I look forward to working with him in his capacity as CPVO Vice-President”says Martin Ekvad whose mandate as President of the CPVO was renewed in September 2016 for 5 years.

Note to editors:

The Community Plant Variety Office is responsible for the implementation of the Community plant variety rights system (Council Regulation (EC) No 2100/94 of 27 July 1994).

This system provides an intellectual property right for new varieties of plants valid throughout the European Union. Since June 1995, more than 59 500 applications have been processed by the CPVO, resulting in the grant of more than 46 000 Community plant variety rights. The Community protection system managed by the CPVO is unique and has become the largest of its kind in the world.

Visit the CPVO website: cpvo.europa.eu or follow us on Twitter

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